Technical Field
This invention relates to a pedal for bicycles and exercise equipment which pivots on a heel to toe axis that extends through longitudinal support arms to provide lateral adjustability during pedaling. The most common bicyle pedals in the United States are not laterally adjustable; they have a pedal foot surface to pedal crank arm inside angle fixed at approximately 90 degrees. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,449,332 and 5,628,710 Hervig shows pedals that provide lateral adjustability through a manufacturer determined pivot range; These pedals pivot about a longitudinal axis with minimal bearing friction resistance and the selected addition of resistance provided from cushion pads of different densities. The original pedals shown by Hervig allowed pedal foot surface to pedal crank arm angle adjustments according to cyclist foot inputs in a range of approximately plus 6 degrees or minus 6 degrees from the standard 90 degree inside angle formed between the pedal foot surface and the pedal crank arm. The presently disclosed modification of user adjustable pivot stops can be applied to the previously disclosed styles of pedals shown by Hervig. In the presently disclosed pedal, the limits of lateral adjustment can be set to a pivoting range within plus 6 degrees or minus 6 degrees from the standard 90 degree inside angle. For example, the pedal can be set to pivot from 3 degrees of eversion to 1 degree of inversion, or it can be set to a specific lateral angle of adjustment such as being fixed at 4 degrees of eversion.
The lateral positioning range can be altered by an allen wrench adjustment of set screws on the pedal frame surface. Two set screws are put into threaded set screw holes located on the pedal frame perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The distance between the inner most ends of the set screws (or the set screw holes if the set screws are retracted) and the contact portions of the pedal shaft housing will determine the limits of lateral pivoting. The disclosed pedal with set screws is designed to be used in conjunction with the cushioning means of the previous pedals shown by Hervig.
By using an allen wrench to turn the set screws into the pedal, the cyclist can limit the maximums and minimums of foot inversion (rotating the foot to lower the arch) and eversion (rotating the foot to raise the foot's arch). On presently shown pedals with side by side set screws, the set screw furthest from the threaded end of the pedal shaft can prevent eversion while the set screw closest to the threaded end can prevent inversion. On pedals with set screws shown above and below the pedal shaft, the lower set screw can prevent eversion while the upper set screw can prevent inversion. For example, with a manufacturer provided range of plus or minus 6 degrees of lateral adjustability, turning the eversion set screw approximately 1/4 way the maximum distance between the inner most end of the set screw hole and the shaft sleeve (i.e. with the shaft sleeve fully pivoted away from the set screw hole) would reduce the pedal eversion maximum from 6 degrees to 3 degrees; The maximum relative inside angle between the foot contact surface of the pedal and the pedal crank arm would be reduced from 96 degrees to 93 degrees. Turning this screw approximately 1/2 way of this distance would prevent eversion since the pedal would be limited to a 90 inside degree pedal surface to pedal crank arm inside angle. Turning the eversion screw 3/4 way would move the foot contact surface of the pedal to a minimum 3 degrees of inversion and would prevent pedal eversion. Turning the eversion screw all the way down would hold the pedal to 6 degrees of inversion. Turning the inversion set screw 1/4 way down would prevent the pedal from inverting more than 3 degrees; 1/2 way down would prevent inversion; 3/4 way down would require 3 or more degrees of eversion; and turning the screw all the way down would hold the pedal at 6 degrees of eversion.
By modifying a pedal according to the principles of Hervig's U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,449,332 and 5,628,710 with the described set screws, it can be understood that the presently described pedal can, by adjustment of both set screws, permit an infinite number of reduced ranges of cushioned lateral adjustability within the maximums of lateral adjustability provided by the original invention. Also, by using the above described set screws in combination, it is possible to set and hold the pedal to a specific lateral adjustment angle.